Proposed Cape Town Sky Train could reshape cruise passenger access to city

A newly revived proposal for an elevated Sky Train in Cape Town could have significant implications for cruise passengers embarking or disembarking at the Cape Town Cruise Terminal near the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC).

The concept has re-emerged alongside plans for a large mixed-use development in Green Point, close to key tourism and cruise infrastructure.

The Sky Train proposal has been put forward by development engineer Gareth Ramsay in response to the City of Cape Town’s draft urban design concept for Erf 2187, a 4.5-hectare site located between Three Anchor Bay, the Sea Point Promenade, the V&A Waterfront, and Cape Town Stadium.

The site is earmarked for a mixed-use precinct incorporating residential units, retail, and office space, as well as public and community facilities.

Ramsay argues that incorporating a Sky Train terminus into the Green Point development would strengthen links between Cape Town’s major transport hubs, visitor attractions, and economic nodes. For cruise passengers, the most direct impact would be the proposed station at the CTICC, which sits adjacent to the city’s cruise terminal and currently serves as the primary arrival and departure point for cruise ships.

“The train terminus would enable an elevated railway following the course of the unfinished Foreshore Freeways with stations at the DHL Stadium, CTICC (The Cruise Terminal), Woodstock, Athlone and Cape Town International Airport,” Ramsay wrote in a proposal.

If implemented, the system could offer cruise passengers a direct, high-capacity rail connection between the cruise terminal and Cape Town International Airport, bypassing some of the city’s most congested road corridors.

This could be particularly relevant on turnaround days, when multiple cruise ships may be in port and road traffic around the Foreshore and CBD is often heavily constrained.

The Sky Train concept is presented as a two-phase development. Phase 1 would focus on creating a high-speed backbone linking the city’s primary tourism, event and business districts. Proposed stations include Sea Point, DHL Stadium, the CTICC, Woodstock, Athlone Power Station and Cape Town International Airport. For cruise visitors, this could also improve access to hotels, attractions and entertainment areas concentrated around the Atlantic Seaboard and city centre.

Phase 2 would expand the system into a wider metropolitan network, connecting areas such as Heathfield, Retreat, Ottery East, Philippi, and Bellville, with the airport serving as a central interchange. Ramsay described the broader vision as a catalyst for a city-wide express rail system.

“This could be the catalytic project for our very own ‘Capetrain,’ providing an express rail link between the Southern Suburbs, Cape Flats, Northern Suburbs, Somerset West, Cape Winelands Airport, Stellenbosch, Paarl, and the West Coast,” he said.

For the cruise industry, improved rail connectivity could enhance Cape Town’s attractiveness as a homeport by simplifying logistics for international passengers and crew, reducing reliance on road transfers, and potentially easing pressure on tour operators and shuttle services.

It could also allow passengers with limited time ashore to move more efficiently between the cruise terminal, airport, and major attractions. The proposal remains conceptual and is not yet an approved city project. However, its alignment with the unfinished Foreshore Freeways and proximity to the cruise terminal has renewed debate about long-term transport solutions in one of Cape Town’s busiest precincts.